Another Positive moving forward - Potential young guns

[maxta]

Every team on the up have a few things in common...
Attitude and resolve
Fit and healthy squad
Good new signings
and
a mix of YOUNG GUNS coming through to add that energy

In 2024 we have a few positive youngsters stepping up - 2 in particular
The Newcastle game is a hard judge as they were terrible, but it's easy to see these blokes have ability.
I feel Lehi Hopoate is a very Classy player who will only get better and as a bonus is rated a nice young man off the field.
Young lock Caleb Navale is that fast, mobile forward - perfect for the modern game.
Humphreys (yes he is going to Souths, but still a Seaeagle in 24), had a very good debut.
Clayton Faulalo - (only played 17 minutes of NRL), but a natural outside back with footy smarts.

It's Hopoate and Navale who I feel will spend plenty of time at NRL level from this point moving forward and that's a big win to have them come through and add some extra energy and is a true show that this side is on the improve.....

 

[frank stokes]

Every team on the up have a few things in common...
Attitude and resolve
Fit and healthy squad
Good new signings
and
a mix of YOUNG GUNS coming through to add that energy

In 2024 we have a few positive youngsters stepping up - 2 in particular
The Newcastle game is a hard judge as they were terrible, but it's easy to see these blokes have ability.
I feel Lehi Hopoate is a very Classy player who will only get better and as a bonus is rated a nice young man off the field.
Young lock Caleb Navale is that fast, mobile forward - perfect for the modern game.
Humphreys (yes he is going to Souths, but still a Seaeagle in 24), had a very good debut.
Clayton Faulalo - (only played 17 minutes of NRL), but a natural outside back with footy smarts.

It's Hopoate and Navale who I feel will spend plenty of time at NRL level from this point moving forward and that's a big win to have them come through and add some extra energy and is a true show that this side is on the improve.....

Yeah I like Faulolo (going off trials and Blacktown) but I would be much more comfortable with him moving on then Humphries...

I get WHY it is Humphries but I am less convinced with the strength/quality of back-up options that we retain in those hooker/halves position then I am with our centre/wing options...

but you cant keep them all and you know what they say "if you love it, set it free... if it returns then it is yours forever and if not then it was never meant to be"... stupid it had better come back... 🤣

 

[JakeyB789]

I'm as frustrated as anyone by losing Humphreys but there's not much we can do about it now, I'm glad there is still some young talent in the club even if we seem to be losing our juniors more than ever recently, hopefully we do a better job at retaining some of these guys.

Really hoping to see more of Navale, seems to have a really good workrate and he had a nice moment on the weekend where he cut down Sharpe with a perfect legs tackle as he was cutting across field after a kick. Those kinds of effort plays really lift the team and it's not like we are brimming with quality middle forwards to block his path into first grade, he should be getting more opportunites.

Some people have gone off Gordie a bit this year too but I reckon he had one of his better games in the top grade on the weekend. His service looked to have improved a little since we last saw him and he's obviously a very popular member of the playing group, the energy he brings in pretty clear for all to see. Maybe not the #9 saviour we all hoped for but definitely a good option as the bench impact spark at #14.

Lehi is obviously a freak and if he debuted any sooner I think he'd be running away with rookie of the year honours.

Every good team has a healthy mix of youth and experience, I think after Seibold's time at the Broncos where he was burnt with an extremely young and inexperienced side, he has leaned too far the other way which has cost us a number of juniors, all for mediocre results. Hopefully after the last couple of weeks he is starting to find that balance and the team lists at 4pm every Tuesday continue to look a little more exciting..

 

[Will on the hill]

I'm as frustrated as anyone by losing Humphreys but there's not much we can do about it now, I'm glad there is still some young talent in the club even if we seem to be losing our juniors more than ever recently, hopefully we do a better job at retaining some of these guys.

Really hoping to see more of Navale, seems to have a really good workrate and he had a nice moment on the weekend where he cut down Sharpe with a perfect legs tackle as he was cutting across field after a kick. Those kinds of effort plays really lift the team and it's not like we are brimming with quality middle forwards to block his path into first grade, he should be getting more opportunites.

Some people have gone off Gordie a bit this year too but I reckon he had one of his better games in the top grade on the weekend. His service looked to have improved a little since we last saw him and he's obviously a very popular member of the playing group, the energy he brings in pretty clear for all to see. Maybe not the #9 saviour we all hoped for but definitely a good option as the bench impact spark at #14.

Lehi is obviously a freak and if he debuted any sooner I think he'd be running away with rookie of the year honours.

Every good team has a healthy mix of youth and experience, I think after Seibold's time at the Broncos where he was burnt with an extremely young and inexperienced side, he has leaned too far the other way which has cost us a number of juniors, all for mediocre results. Hopefully after the last couple of weeks he is starting to find that balance and the team lists at 4pm every Tuesday continue to look a little more exciting..

Lehi is probably still in the running for rookie of the year if he continues killing it while Koula is out. Think it's down to him and Ethan Strange. Keano Kini (played 6 games last year) and Lachlan Galvin (2 match suspension) are both ineligible. Can't think of any others that have stood out.

 

[LeonardCohen]

I'm as frustrated as anyone by losing Humphreys but there's not much we can do about it now, I'm glad there is still some young talent in the club even if we seem to be losing our juniors more than ever recently, hopefully we do a better job at retaining some of these guys.

Really hoping to see more of Navale, seems to have a really good workrate and he had a nice moment on the weekend where he cut down Sharpe with a perfect legs tackle as he was cutting across field after a kick. Those kinds of effort plays really lift the team and it's not like we are brimming with quality middle forwards to block his path into first grade, he should be getting more opportunites.

Some people have gone off Gordie a bit this year too but I reckon he had one of his better games in the top grade on the weekend. His service looked to have improved a little since we last saw him and he's obviously a very popular member of the playing group, the energy he brings in pretty clear for all to see. Maybe not the #9 saviour we all hoped for but definitely a good option as the bench impact spark at #14.

Lehi is obviously a freak and if he debuted any sooner I think he'd be running away with rookie of the year honours.

Every good team has a healthy mix of youth and experience, I think after Seibold's time at the Broncos where he was burnt with an extremely young and inexperienced side, he has leaned too far the other way which has cost us a number of juniors, all for mediocre results. Hopefully after the last couple of weeks he is starting to find that balance and the team lists at 4pm every Tuesday continue to look a little more exciting..

Still think Gordon's service is bad but I agree with everything you've said. The best thing about Navale is the leg speed. We need it badly.

 

[frank stokes]

Lehi is probably still in the running for rookie of the year if he continues killing it while Koula is out. Think it's down to him and Ethan Strange. Keano Kini (played 6 games last year) and Lachlan Galvin (2 match suspension) are both ineligible. Can't think of any others that have stood out.

Trai Fuller will be eligible too... only played 1 game last year...

I think Strange probs has it in the bag tho as he will play 20+ games whilst Fuller goes back to ressies when hammer returns and Lehi will struggle to hold his spot once all players are back on deck...

 

[mave]

Still think Gordon's service is bad but I agree with everything you've said. The best thing about Navale is the leg speed. We need it badly.

And he consistently finds his front and therefore the quick PTB.
Lots of metres made on the subsequent hit up. Brown and Sipley benefited a few times on Sunday.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Navale has been great ✅
Lehi has been exceptional ✅

Clayton is wasted at Blacktown but not sure where he fits when we are full strength.

Pity about Humphreys , but that’s what happens in this game , youngsters get pinched all the time.

Still think we are short a great middle & and a hard running edge.

If we could add that to the mix we’d be really firing.

 

[The Who]

Easts never worry about developing their juniors. They just buy in the talent and it works.
We just need to be smarter with the way we pay the talent. It starts with a super wealthy benefactor. That's who we need to sign.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Clayton hasn’t convinced me yet. Did fine with his 17 minutes running around largely in the background… I’m not sure he is big enough, nor explosive enough to compensate for his size. Let’s see.

 

[Rosko]

Navale has been great ✅
Lehi has been exceptional ✅

Clayton is wasted at Blacktown but not sure where he fits when we are full strength.

Pity about Humphreys , but that’s what happens in this game , youngsters get pinched all the time.

Still think we are short a great middle & and a hard running edge.

If we could add that to the mix we’d be really firing.

Those, plus a class hooker. Two out of three of those positions and we might be a top 4 team.
Doubt we will get any of the three filled though.

 

[nightster]

Lehi is probably still in the running for rookie of the year if he continues killing it while Koula is out. Think it's down to him and Ethan Strange. Keano Kini (played 6 games last year) and Lachlan Galvin (2 match suspension) are both ineligible. Can't think of any others that have stood out.

Strange debuted in '23

 

[frank stokes]

Strange debuted in '23

Yeah but he debuted in r24... you remain eligible for ROTY for 3 years from your debut or until you play 5 NRL games (the 5th game makes that season your final season of eligibility)

 

[Harmless27]

I think the broader point here (and I like the thread intent BTW) is that we seem to still be producing talent through a range of pathways.
Humphries is leaving - it is a shame.....
But wouldn't it be worse if we didn't even have a bunch of players like Humphries in the first place?
There is no pleasing fans some times.... We have one the best half backs of all time - and all we can do is complain that a 23 year old, un-tested halfback with no top-level experience of either performance OR health is leaving.
Seriously.